Flanders 1653 ducaton Dav-4457

Jean Elsen sale 158, lot 989

This specimen was lot 989 in Jean Elsen sale 158 (Brussels, March 2024), where it sold for €320 (about US$416 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"VLAANDEREN, Graafschap, Philips IV (1621-1665), AR dukaton, 1653, Brugge. Tweede type. Vz/ Geharnarst bb. r. Kz/ Gekroond wapenschild gesteund door twee leeuwen. Onderaan het juweel van het Gulden Vlies. Zeldzaam. Gereinigd. Zeer Fraai à Prachtig. (county of Flanders, Philip IV, 1621-65, silver ducaton of 1653, Bruges mint, second type. Obverse: armored bust right; reverse: crowned arms supported by two lions, below, the jewel of the Golden Fleece. Scarce, cleaned, Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"

Ducatons were issued in the Spanish Netherlands and associated states (including the bishopric of Liège and Franche Comte) during the seventeenth century, where they competed with French écus, German talers and Dutch daalders and patagons. The type shown here was struck for Flanders in 1636-44, 1648-65. It superseded a ducaton with a younger bust of the king wearing a ruffed collar (Dav-4446). Similar ducatons were struck for Tournai (Dav-4458) and Brabant (Dav-4454). The series is plagued by bad planchets and poor strikes, tho less so than the patagons. Double ducatons were struck for presentation.

Reported Mintage: unknown.

Specification: 32.48 g, 0.944 fine silver, .985 troy oz ASW, this specimen 32,54 g.

Catalog reference: Dav-4457, KM 50, G.H. 327-6b; Delm-286; VH 642.

Source:

• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
• Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
• van Gelder, H. Enno, and Marcel Hoc, Les Monnaies des pays-Bas Bourguignons et Espagnols, 1434-1713, Amsterdam, J. Schulman, 1960, with supplement of 1964.
• ^[1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 158, Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.

Link to:

• 1636 ducaton, ruffed collar
• Tournai 1647 ducaton Dav-4458
• 1651 ducaton
• 1653 patagon
• Tournai 1653 patagon
• 1653 ducaton, Antwerp mint
• 1653 double ducaton
• 1656 ducaton
• Tournai 1663 patagon Dav-4470
• Coins and currency dated 1653